Clinical Psychology Courses | 5 Things You Must Know About Courses In Clinical Psychology

In this post, I’ll discuss Clinical Psychology covering the following aspects which could give you a good idea, information and psychology facts about the subject:

Let’s discuss this promising field of Clinical Psychology in detail.

What the heck Clinical Psychology is?

Each one of us must have experienced emotional upsets, mood swings and off days when we just don’t feel like doing anything. As long as we are able to recover these feelings and perform our daily roles well, we are healthy. However, for few, these moments last longer and inability to cope with them may lead to various types of psychopathologies. The specialists professionally qualified to deal with such minor maladjustments to severe mental or emotional disorders are called clinical psychologists.

Definition of Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is the sub-domain of psychology that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of behavioral, intellectual, emotional and cognitive disorders. Some of the common disorders that a clinical psychologist deals with include substance abuse, depression, anxiety, phobias, panic disorders, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, learning disabilities etc. This branch of psychology is primarily concerned with reducing psychological distress and enhancing health and mental well-being.

Understanding Work Domain Of A Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists use various tools, techniques, assessments, interventions and therapies to help people overcome their traumatic events and difficult life transitions. They work in a variety of settings like hospitals, clinics, mental health care centers, schools, prisons, counseling cell etc. Many choose to have their own private practice as well.

Clinical psychologists generally work in integration with psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, health psychologists, forensic psychologist, school psychologists, psychotherapist, social health workers, rehabilitation and occupational therapist to provide consultation to the clients. They also specialize in psychometric assessments to diagnose the intensity and type of a psychological disorder and the level of intellectual and cognitive impairment. They have a sound knowledge on various personality tests like Rorschach, MMPI, 16 PF, Thematic Apperception Test etc. to identify the clinical symptoms associated with personality disorders.

A good clinical psychologist is also a trained psychotherapist who knows the specific interventions and therapies applicable to a psychological or mental disorder. Becoming a clinical practitioner is not the only dome in which a clinical psychologist can move in. Many experts in the domain get engaged in academics, research and teaching positions also. While some of them become the part of activities, directly related to enhancing psychological health of individuals, families, society and community in large.

What Clinical Psychology Courses Can Help Me Become A Clinical Psychologist?

The pathway to become a clinical psychologist begins with a bachelor’s degree in psychology (major) from a reputed school, college or university. The Bachelor’s degree provides foundation and orientation to the general psychology and related disciplines but does not make one specialized in the area of clinical psychology. It is recommended that a student majoring in psychology should scores good grades and earn credit points by doing internships and research assistant jobs during bachelor’s coursework. The proper professional training to become a clinical psychologist starts at masters level wherein students study all electives related to the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Most students intending to become a clinical psychologist generally choose an integrated master’s and doctoral programs instead of pursuing master’s alone. This is because the doctoral degree in clinical psychology is essential to gain license and practice as a clinical practitioner.

The two most common names associated with the doctorate level of degrees in psychology are Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.). Both degrees require approximately 4-6 years of time to complete. The Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology is an academic and research-oriented degree in which a student does extensive research on psychopathological disorders and their treatment. The student must have very good knowledge of research methodology, research designs, and experimental psychology for pursuing Ph.D in clinical psychology. In contrast, Psy.D is a professional practice of psychology in which a student learns the art of applying the practice of learned theoretical principles of clinical psychology in a clinical or hospital settings. Pursuing either of the two specializations needs extensive training and clinical experience that a student can gain by doing regular internships and part-time clinical practice along with the coursework. It is only after completing doctorate degree and a fixed number of years of clinical experience that one gets eligible to apply for license to become a licensed/ registered/chartered clinical psychologist.

Skills Required To Excel In Clinical Psychology

The road to become a successful and competent clinical psychologist is long and hard. It requires a lot of hard-work, dedication and patience from students to become successful and expert in the field. Understanding of both, normal and deviant functioning of human mind, is essential to excel in the field.

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